The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner comprising a suction head. Furthermore, the invention relates to a vacuum cleaner suction head comprising a driveable unbalanced mass for use with the above defined vacuum cleaner.
During vacuum cleaning, a suction groove provided at the suction head forms, together with the surface to be cleaned, a horizontal suction channel in which a constant air flow or stream having a high air flow rate or speed is generated. This strong air flow loosens the dirt from the surface to be cleaned, and the dirt is then carried away by suction. In the so-called beating vacuum cleaner, a motor driven, rotating beating cylinder is additionally used to loosen the dirt. However, in this case, the suction groove has to be made larger so that the suction channel is enlarged too; this fact reduces the speed of the air flow in this region which causes the cleaning effectiveness to decrease. Additionally, the construction is rather heavy and requires a separate electric connection to the suction head which is undesirable for safety and mobility reasons. In a brush cleaner, rotating brushes are used for loosening the dirt particles. This construction presents roughly the same drawbacks as those of the beating vacuum cleaner.
Furthermore, vacuum cleaners are known where the dirt is loosened from the object to be cleaned by means of vibrating air or high frequency vibrations. These vibrations are generated by means of electromagnetic or piezoelectric vibrators which are expensive, consume much energy and also require an electric connection between the cleaner body and the suction head. In this construction too, broad suction grooves are required.